


The Immigration

by Friendlylycanthrope



Series: Let's Talk About It [23]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Catra Redemption, F/F, Princess Alliance, Thats right its all comin together, attack on the fright zone, como se dice, long piece, marinate, will not post tomorrow to give this one time to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24530239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Friendlylycanthrope/pseuds/Friendlylycanthrope
Summary: After a year and a half of planning, it's time to see if Catra's big plan to save the horde cadets can actually pay off. She incredibly anxious based on the failure of her coup, and determined to not let her new friends down. Hopefully she won't get distracted by feelings.
Relationships: Adora/Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra/Adora, Glimmer/Adora, Glimmer/Catra
Series: Let's Talk About It [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714624
Comments: 5
Kudos: 85





	The Immigration

  
  
  


Catra scoped the binoculars over the Fright Zone. The early morning moon was still rising, but did little to change the smoggy atmosphere over the industrial wasteland. Everything was running as it normally should be, she noted. The cadets were already up and running their morning fitness drills, the delivery skiffs and trucks were roaring to life, and the night watch was impatiently looking for their replacement rather than watching for any threats as they were anxious to get some rest. 

Catra was lying on her stomach near the edge of no-man’s-land, concealed by some twigs of the dead shrubs around her. The Fright one was none the wiser about what was to come today. Bright Moon and the assembled forces of the rebellion had been marching towards them since before dawn, but Scorpia had made sure to place scouts who they could trust so that no alarms would be raised. 

Catra reached for the communicator that was in her shirt pocket. The Bright Moon standard walky, all smooth lines and sleek design, unlike the Fright Zone model one she had in another pocket that looked like it was hastily taped together and might explode if you pressed the wrong button. 

“Wild Cat to Sparkles, the coast is clear.” She whispered into the static. 

“Ten-four Wildcat, you are clear to rendezvous.” Abner crackled back. Then, a second later, Glimmer on the line, “I never agreed to that code name!”

Catra retreated back to the hidden bluff where the armies were waiting for her signal to engage. She headed for the purple strategy tent that would hold the temporary war table and the leaders of the rebellion. Inside, all the princesses looked at her in quiet expectancy, awaiting her scout report. Catra pulled down her hood and ran a hand through her hair. 

“Scorpia successfully kept her word, no suspicion has been raised.” She started, pacing around the table. “Business as usual at the Fright Zone, no suspicion. On my signal, Entrapta will release her kill code to hack the prison blocks, which should only take less than a minute. In the following moments panic will rise as the squadrons are scrambled to action. During this time, we strike from all sides; Bright Moon from the south and the Kingdom of Snows from the North to pin them down between the strongest armies in number. We’ll set up a barricade so that they can’t use the primary North or South gates, forcing them to split between the East and West. this will divide enough that we should be able to take prisoners easily during the siege.

“Meanwhile, I will sneak into the Prison block once the armed forces are out of the way to incite the riot and attack Shadow Weaver. Once the riot is underway we need the Southern gate to open up to refugees. Abner?”

The general, clad in her full attack armor, pointed her spear at the map on the table, moving the wooden pegs that were arranged to make a funnel shaped exit between the forces. 

“My forces will focus on the machinery docs and steal as many operational vehicles as possible for transportation. We will load up the refugees anchor-style by departing any craft that is fully loaded as soon as it becomes ready to leave. We will take them through a discreet path in the woods that the Plumerians have cleared and will be protecting so that we won’t be followed until we reach the camp set up in Bright Moon. No return trips will be made once a skiff has safely landed and unloaded. Any stragglers will come on foot following the orders of the princesses. As long as we can get them to safety.”

“I’ve already spread the word in the ranks that the defectors should trust the princesses, but I suspect it will be tough to trust at first, especially in a vulnerable battle where magic is being thrown around so dangerously.” Catra thought out loud, scratching her chin thoughtfully. “It’ll seem dangerous and risky, and we’re already asking a lot of them. That’s why I’ve informed them to follow the orders of Force Captain Scorpia, who will join the attack effort once the armed squadrons come out.”

“Catra, this is risky.” Mermista ventured in a rare moment of genuine honesty, sparing her usual scathing remarks and sarcasm. “One person is a lot more vulnerable than an alliance. As soon as the horde realizes what’s going on, she’s going to become a target.”

“I have total faith in this plan.” Glimmer spoke up, leaning on the table. “It’s been months in the making and if Catra trusts Force Captain Scorpia then we should too. Besides she has a point, it is difficult to trust attackers who you’ve never met before who use magic.”

“Trust me, that gal doesn’t go down easy.” Catra smirked. “I’ve seen her take a hit and keep coming. It’s not just the tough exoskeleton, it’s grit. Trust me.”

“We do.” Adora said as she placed a hand on Catra’s shoulder. 

“Adora, I’m going to need you up at the North gate with half-pint. We need our heaviest hitter to draw damage and resources away from the escape at the south gate.”

“I never agreed to that code name!” Frosta complained.

“I can do that.” Adora agreed. 

“Okay.” Catra took stock of the map before her, and her allies gathered around. She could feel their determination echoing around the room as they looked eager and stern, prepared for the plan that she had poured so many hours and weeks into. True, it had been shaky at first, gaining their trust was an ongoing project. But once she proved useful to their strategy meetings, they started to see her odd quirks as eccentric rather than annoying. Perfuma kept trying to braid her hair despite Catra’s protests. Mermista was her favorite to hang out with, given their mutual appreciation of sarcastic apathy and dark nail polish. She generally avoided Frosta after noticing how she would make the room a few degrees colder. Netossa was apprehensive but at least Spinnerella was friendly. They had been slow to accept her but they had still accepted her. They all had a common goal, to win the war. And today might be the day that they delivered the most devastating blow to victory. 

And now, they were all ready to show total faith in this plan. The plan that kept her up night after night, either in planning it’s details or anxiously worrying about what could go wrong. Especially since it was bigger than her last large scale project, and that had all blown up in her face and cost her just about everything. The coup that would have let her lead the horde, and guide them away from war. The plan that almost cost her her life. Not only did it not work, but she had been discovered to the point that she was wanted dead or alive by Hordak, and she had to flee away from her powerful career and supportive friends, away from the only home she ever knew, away from everything. Hordak still wanted her dead, and there was a heavy price on her head. 

She had to make sure this was different. It wasn't just her on the line any more, it was the whole rebellion. She couldn't let them down after what they had done to take her in. This had to work. It had to. 

“Right.” Catra stood up tall and grinned. “I’m going to go radio silent as I get into position at the cell block. Once I break the silence to give the signal, move in to attack. Let’s kick some ass!”

  
  


***

  
  


Catra moved to leave the tent as the other princesses whooped with determination. For some reason, she found that Glimmer was with her as she left, as though she thought they were going together. Once outside the tent, she turned around. 

“I thought you had to go rally the troops or whatever, sparkles.” She grinned. 

“I just needed to ask you something before you left.” Glimmer said more seriously. 

“It’s not super dangerous, I’ll be back later.” Catra tried to comfort, attempting to anticipate what she would say. 

“It’s not that I’m worried I won’t see you again. It’s about what you’re going to do.”

Catra’s ears angled so one was up and the other was down, her classic sign of confusion. Glimmer took a deep breath. 

“I know that originally there were some... reservations... around the war table about you killing Shadow Weaver.” She began. Catra immediately felt defensive anger flare up in her. 

“Look I’m going through with this. I can do it, and you can’t stop me.” She stated firmly. 

“I know, Catra. I just wanted to say that I fully support it.” Glimmer said, raising her hands defensively. This seemed to take Catra by surprise and she faltered for a moment. “She’s dangerous and needs to go down.” Glimmer continued. “But I’m just worried about ... I don’t really know what. You always say that she has power and manipulation on her side, and I’ve seen how panicked you get when you’re triggered,”

“You don’t need to worry about me falling short, Glim.” Catra said, looking sternly off to the distance where the Fright Zone lay just as the day moon was rising. “That stuff only happens when I think that she’s there when she isn’t. I’ve dreamed of killing this bitch since I could walk. I won’t fail.”

Glimmer then surprised her for a second time, by reaching out for her hand.

“I’m just worried about what she’ll say to you once you’re there. She knows how to hurt you in the most efficient ways.”

“What is this really about?” Catra asked, getting suspicious. Glimmer sighed, collecting her thoughts for a moment. 

“Just remember, Catra. No matter what she says. No matter what happens. That you can deserve love.” Then she leaned up on her toes in order to gently place a kiss on Catra’s cheek, causing both of them to turn red. Glimmer began to teleport away, hoping to leave Catra in shock, but she was too fast. 

“Not so fast!” She reached out and grabbed the princess’s hand just as she was about to disappear, and Catra got pulled along too. When she opened her eyes, they were in another part of the camp, with Glimmer looking more shocked than Catra. She took the lead and led the princess by the arm to a secure nook where they couldn’t be watched, before harshly whispering, “What the hell was that! I told you the last thing I want to do is get in the middle of things! I can’t screw this up!”

Glimmer seemed to recover some of her senses and shook her head a bit. 

“You aren’t getting in the middle of things, Catra! Me and Adora talked about it. She never stopped loving you, and I’m starting to understand why!” She whispered back defensively. She rolled her eyes. 

“No hang on, this is literally like the _worst_ time you could have picked to start this!” Catra blabbered. “I don’t have time for honesty and feelings right now, I’ve put months of work into the plan!”

“Okay fine, I get it. Look,” Glimmer said. “We can talk about this more after we get back to Bright Moon. I just needed you to know that Shadow Weaver  _ will _ try to manipulate you, and that people  _ do _ care about you!”

Catra ran her claws across her scalp in annoyance. 

“I swear Glitter, everything needs to go right today first. I can’t be distracted by whatever _this_ is!” She said gesturing to the air between them vaguely. “ _ Then _ , we’re gonna have a hell of a talk!”

“Fine, attack now feelings later.” Glimmer said. “Just don’t do anything stupid!”

Then she teleported away, on her own this time, leaving Catra with the confusion that she should have realized she was feeling a few minutes ago. 

She wasn’t going to lie, there was something about the princess that made her feel warm. And maybe she hadn’t forgotten her feelings for Adora, but maybe being with Glimmer made her feel safe for the first time in her life. But she always reminded herself that she wasn’t allowed to feel like that. She was not given the privilege of safety or the luxury of happiness. Not when her happiness may ruin the shot at stability that Glimmer and Adora had. She had been perfectly fine pushing all that to the side and pushing herself into her work, so why was Glimmer so damn insistent that everyone be happy?

She couldn’t let this distract her today. Not with so much on the line. She had to focus her energy on feeling that acid hot hatred she felt whenever she thought about Shadow Weaver so that she could pull this off. She had to save the cadets of the Fright Zone and move them somewhere safe. Her priorities were clear. She had a mission to do. 

  
  


***

  
  


Catra stalked in the shadows of her old home, remembering every nook and cranny to hide in. She recalled all the beams, rafters, and pipes that would let her hide from Shadow Weaver in her youth that opened up to her again, allowing her easy access to any part of the Fright Zone that she needed. Once she found the barracks lockers, it was easy to sneak into an armored duty uniform to get access to the cell block. 

The cells rose before her like a glowing, humming library of grime and despair. Twenty levels up and twenty cells on each level, almost all of them full. It was still early, and the prisoners hadn’t been fed yet, so the guard activity was minimal. 

Now, she used the radio that Entrapta had made for her when she first went rogue. She had used it before to get in touch with Entrapta and Scorpia, and she knew that they were expecting her call today to move to action. 

“Wild Cat to Goggles, I’m in position.” Goggles was Entrapta, Stinger was Scorpia, and Wild Cat was herself. They had been using these codes for months or longer, and unlike the rebellion, didn’t argue their super cool names.

“Ten-four, Wild Cat. This is Goggles. Releasing the code. You are clear to engage, Wild Cat.” Entrapta answered. She was so excited about the possibilities of the endeavors that Catra came up with that she even used proper radio terms.

Within seconds the alarms were all blaring in the prison. Catra smirked as she watched the red lights flash across the levels. A second later, the green barriers that held back the prisoners all flickered out.

“AAAAAHAHAHAHAHA THAT WAS EVEN BETTER THAN I THOUGHT!” Entrapta cackled over the walky and Catra couldn’t help but be proud of the dork that made just amazing codes. “It worked even faster than the test drones that went to get the encrypted data!”

“You are too good at this, Goggles. I’m moving in.” Catra responded, pocketing the radio again. 

  
  


***

  
  


For Glimmer, watching from above and waiting for the signal was agony. She had her Bright Moon forces at the ready, and held their position just at the edge of view from the southern gate. They all watched in still silence, not a word spoken to break their hiding. 

One of the higher towers blared red with flashing lights and sirens. Still, she held her nerve and didn’t jump into the action. They needed to wait for the signal before it was safe to engage. 

Within a minute, the sirens hadn’t stopped, but there was clear movement amongst the whole settlement as various people sprang to action.

“Wild Cat to Sparkles, this is the all clear.” The radio crackled. “Move in, all sides.”

“Charge!” Glimmer commanded, leading the armies out of the darkness of the wastelands and into the light from the gate. The day moon was rising behind the Fright Zone, and Glimmer hoped and prayed that everything would go smoothly for them. For the sake of the rebellion, for the sake of her friends and their safety, and hopefully in order to get some rest and let everyone be happy for once, especially those who deserve it most. 

  
  


***

  
  


“All sides, move in” Catra commanded. She-Ra nodded at Frosta, who held the walky talky. Frosta gave She-Ra the thumbs up to go ahead, and she leapt up into the air. She-Ra sailed hundreds of feet above the gathered forces, and hefted her sword as she met her apex. In the blink of an eye, the terrifying tank of destruction rained down on the Northern gate, a dust cloud rising from the crater she had created. 

“Charge!” Frosta ordered, as the forces moved out in a great battle cry roaring up. 

  
  


***

  
  


Scorpia could see the dust cloud rise like a giant mushroom off in the distance. She smiled with excitement and practically buzzed with anticipation. She pulled the alarm lever next to the window, and sirens started blaring as all the required personnel started to mobilize. She grabbed the intercom with her right claw, and spoke into it. 

“Attention this is not a drill--we are under attack by the alliance and there is a situation in the prison block. All cadets, mobilize to your battle stations!” She commanded. The code was sent up, and the superiors who weren’t in on it were none the wiser. Now all she had to do was get to the vehicle bay and organize the retreat. 

  
  


***

  
  


Cadets everywhere were just starting their first classes of the day. For some it meant training drills, for others it meant sitting in a classroom or doing chores. There were babies in the nursery, toddlers being socialized, children learning to read and write, adolescents and teens all going through their schedules. They had no idea what was going to happen that day, they were all kept in the dark about when exactly the mutiny would take place. They were told to mobilize when there was a prison riot. That would be their signal to make a hasty exit to the vehicle bay. 

Then, Scorpia spoke to them and said that there was a situation in the prison. This was it. Everyone gave a nervous, hesitant look to their peers to be sure that they all heard it right. Then the drill sergeant came barreling in the barracks. 

“Cadets, there’s a prison riot and we are under attack from the rebellion! Boot up and report in at battle stations immediately!”

The young soldiers needed no more prompting to leap into action, and finished their dressing in record time as they grabbed what they could. 

Mechanics began fueling up skiffs for long journeys. Normally they were given only as much as was deemed necessary for their supply run, but they sprang into action as was expected of their superiors, after all they had to prepare for battle. They knocked out the short range GPS and began lining them up to exit the bay doors. 

The nursery attendants ignored the cries and wails of infants and toddlers of all various species as they began wrapping up what they needed and carrying them to a transportation unit that normally moved several small people at once, but never for something such as this. One lizard man who was putting in volunteer hours, barely an active duty cadet himself, who was picking up the youngest lizards he could find and letting them cling to his back with their little claws so that he could carry as many as possible. 

The soldiers and cadets of all ranks flushed into the vehicle bay in a constant flow. As soon as one skiff was full, it would take off out the gates. The older, higher ranked officers held off suspicion as long as they could, and physically engaged with those in their way when they had to. It seemed that the word traveled farther than they ever could have hoped, more people than Scorpia could have realized. Those few sergeants and generals they did get on their side managed to spread it even further. The mutiny was widespread and chaotic. Between trying to stop the prison riot, stopping the attack, and stopping the mutiny, there were hardly any resources left, they were all spread too thin to prevent anything from happening. 

Catra climbed up high to the watchtower stationed in the center of the octagonal structure in the prison. She stood over the unconscious body of the woman who was in charge of the morning watch, dispatched a few moments ago by a feline shadow that came out of nowhere. Catra heaved the heavy body to the side and flipped an intercom switch on the console. 

“Hey, who wants to riot?” 

By now, the prisoners, although diverse in race, were all unified in their expression of shock and confusion as they hesitantly got close to where the barrier of their cell used to be. 

“Yeah that’s right, go on out!” Catra encouraged them from the control room. “Here’s the deal: you guys are enemies of the horde. The horde is under attack from all sides. We’re doing a mutiny. Who’s in?”

There was a hesitation for a moment of quiet anticipation. Then some whoops and cheers came out as the prisoners began climbing out of their cells. They looked around at their new freedom, eyes glowing. One enormous hairy creature bellowed a mighty roar and then tore a pipe off the wall and swung it into the chest of a frightened guard, knocking him out instantly. He roared again and went for the exit, swinging wildly. 

“Yeah, this guy gets it!” Catra laughed into the intercom before switching it off. The guards began running in terror, those that weren’t already engaged in hand to hand combat with the loose prisoners. Catra nodded approvingly as she scanned over the cell walls as the scene became more and more chaotic. 

Till she found it. The one cell door that still had the green barrier in place. 

  
  


***

  
  


Entrapta buzzed around her lab going from monitor to monitor without her feet ever touching the ground. She giggled with delight as her hair typed on multiple keyboards while her eyes roamed the camera feed on the monitors. She sipped a fizzy drink as she watched Hordak, totally unaware in his lab, working on his biotech with the Imp. He was welding pieces together, an infamously time consuming task. The alarms in his corridors and lab were silent, his windows were shuttered, his computers would show no notifications or messages. And Entrapta had made sure that this was certain. 

It was almost too easy, like providing an enrichment test to a small animal, who was none the wiser that he was in a cage at all, much less that there was a great big world he couldn’t control outside of his view. Her hacking was more of an afterthought at this point, it all came so simply to her now that she had really gotten to know all the security protocols in the time she had spent rewiring and programming everything she could get her hands on. 

  
  


***

  
  


“Okay load up the next skiff, let’s move!” Scorpia commanded sharply. It wasn’t often that she felt comfortable in command, but when she did, she was able to direct and fight with ease and confidence. One full skiff peeled off out the hangar door as another was brought up to be filled with the growing number of defectors of all ages and ranks. Everyone seemed to be on the same mindset, to efficiently operate together. It was as though they were all operating on mission command, despite the fear and hesitation that they were all undoubtedly feeling. 

Another group came forward to fill the next skiff, and Scorpia helped them get on board. 

“When you get out, head for the woods. Follow the princesses’ orders, they have a safe location somewhere.” Scorpia commanded. “You can trust them. I’ll be at the site once everyone else is out.”

The skiff peeled away into the roar of battle outside, and Scorpia took a quick stock of the remaining defectors. She tapped the communicator in her ear. 

“Entrapta, how are we doing on the surveillance?”

“The feedback loop is still rolling, so nobody is heading down your way.” Entrapta reported. “Except the defectors of course!”

“How are the princesses doing?”

“According to all these messages going around--which I have scrambled so that nobody gets the message-- all the forces are focusing on She-Ra from the North gate. Wow, looks like she’s doing quite a bit of damage!”

“Understood. Keep an eye on any threats coming for the defectors. Have you seen Catra yet?”

“Prison riot successful! She is entering the remaining cell presently.”

Scorpia grit her teeth at the thought. Obviously she knew what was going to happen, but the thought of facing Shadow Weaver alone made her skin crawl. Even though she never interacted with Shadow Weaver much in her command, she knew the common knowledge which was how she treated the unit Catra was in. Just passing by her in the halls was enough to chill your spine, and nobody knew if it was her command or her magic. 

“I’ll keep another eye on it.” Entrapta reassured her. “If it seems like she needs backup, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Thanks, ‘Trapta. Keep me posted on all the events.”

  
  


***

  
  


The cell door was still active. Catra hesitated just out of view of it, off to the side. For all the hours and months of planning and scheming that she had put into the day, the one thing she never really planned out was how to enter Shadow Weaver’s cell. Should she say something dramatic? Demand some sort of answer? She had no idea what to say upon entering the cell. 

But she didn’t have time for this. She was on a strict timetable today. So, she typed in a code to the door, and it phased out just long enough for her to walk in. 

The cell was barren, even by horde standards. Catra had made sure of that back when she was in charge. All it had was two electrical manacles on the wall, that lead her straight to the sorry hag before her. 

At this point, Shadow Weaver had spent years in solitary, rotting in her own filth, and it showed. She could barely hold herself to sitting up, much less standing. Although she was always skinny, there was something about the gaunt skeleton before her that seemed unnatural. Her cracked mask betrayed no emotion beyond the surprise of recognition as she turned her head. The rags she was in were so filthy that they crackled when she moved, crusty with disuse. 

“Catra?” Her voice, dry from months of not speaking, was just as harsh as she remembered. “It’s been... so long.” She mused, cocking her head slightly. Catra could already tell that she was trying desperately to come up with a strategy for how to continue that would get her out of here.

“Shadow Weaver...” Catra drew out like venom as she slowly paced to the end of the cell. “All this time in solitary hasn't done you any favors, huh?”

“Well unlike you... I possess patience.” Shadow Weaver claimed, waving a hand. The skin was so dry that dried blood and scabs seemed old over it. Catra thought that if she grabbed her hand and pulled, the skin might all just slide off her bones. “Why are you here?”

Catra squatted down in front of Shadow Weaver, balancing on the balls of her feet. For looking at the face of the evil witch that tortured her every waking and sleeping moment, she felt an icy calm settle in her stomach. She had dreamed of the day she would die, and dreaded the meeting that would cause it. She jumped at every shadow, was suspicious of every kindness, knew that every semblance of that burgundy witch would have her climbing the walls. And yet, to be in the room with her, there was something else forming in place of the anxiety. Something that was old and familiar, that had kept her alive. 

“I think you know why I’m here.”

  
  


***

  
  


Scorpia didn’t know much about the progress of the situation with the battle outside, but she knew that the sounds of explosions were getting closer. It could be good for them, perhaps, if she were optimistic. Usually she was extremely optimistic, but taking command made her a bit more reasonable to possible problems. Which meant it could have been bad for them. 

“Scorpia you’ve got incoming through the exit hangar doors.” Entrapta warned in her ear. 

The bay doors were darkened by a new figure coming in to dock. Scorpia picked up a child that fell over her own loose clothes and held her close. It was no use hiding, not with this many dozens of people pouring in from every sector of the Fright Zone and still coming. She tried to make out the figure on the skiff coming in. Nobody should be coming in. 

“Force Captain Scorpia!” the soldier barked with authority. “You’ll be publicly executed for this!” She lashed out her stun baton, and it crackled with energy as the people trying to escape all froze in fear. 

“Kids, get behind me,” Scorpia ordered. “Stay back.” She passed off the toddler to another defector, and stood protectively in front of the small group. She squared up to face off against the horde loyalist. 

The loyalist yelled a battle cry as she lifted the baton above her head, ready to take it down onto Scorpia. Scorpia prepared to take the force with her tough exoskeletal claws to protect herself, but it never came. Instead, she looked up again and found that the horde officer was already neutralized, having been blown away from the side, and landing several feet away. In her place, was a dark skinned woman in silver armor and purple robes, with a spear in one hand and a shield in the other. She lifted her helmet to meet Scorpia’s gaze and the two sized each other up. 

“I’m guessing you are Force Captain Scorpia?” Scorpia nodded. To her further surprise, the warrior stood to attention and saluted. “General Abner of Bright Moon, Captain! Catra sent me to aid you in the escape efforts.”

Scorpia finally let herself relax, but only slightly. She saluted back, then put a claw on the general’s shoulder. 

“You had me at Catra sent you!” She smiled. 

“That was literally the last thing I said.” Abner pointed out.

“Good thing you said it, then.” She turned back to the waiting cadets and officers awaiting orders. “You heard her, Bright Moon is here to help! Let’s get these skiffs going at capacity, let’s move!” She ordered. Abner aided her in getting the group of kids onto the next skiff, then sent it out into the daylight. Abner had never met Scorpia before, but instantly admired her efficient and effective command. 

“How many more are there?” She asked as she opened up the next skiff in the line. From the looks of it, they were running low on vehicles, and the defectors were still coming. Some looked like they were fresh from a fight, others looked like they had just rolled out of bed. 

“We surpassed our expected number of defectors about nine skiffs ago, and they’re still coming in.” Scorpia reported, unhooking the fuel line from the machine as people climbed aboard. 

“We need to prioritize the children, the ones who won’t be able to walk as far.” Abner suggested. She fumbled with the controls for only a moment, unsure of how to operate the foreign equipment, until Scorpia pulled the cord to start the engine. 

“Understood. Try to keep at least a handful of adults with them though, in case they get cornered.” 

“Yes, Captain.” Abner reported dutifully, even though General outranked a simple captain. But in this case, she needed to resort to the best authority she had for the resources. 

“Oh, and one more thing!” Scorpia added. “After today, I’m pretty sure I won’t be a captain anymore.” She smiled. “Let’s get these kids to safety!”

  
  


***

  
  


“Well, what are you waiting for then?” Shadow Weaver teased. Catra’s face turned from sour to vehement. 

“What, you want me to think that you’ll just let me do it, right now? That it could be that easy?”

“Oh Catra,” the witch continued, leaning forward. “Perhaps I’m just more patient. I  _ know _ that you won’t.”

Catra could feel the weight of the knife she had brought on her belt, a heavy reminder. She was almost eager to grab it and lunge forward. She should have. She should have finished it then, quickly. But she didn’t. Outside, the alarms continued. 

“Can’t or won’t?” Catra challenged. Shadow Weaver actually laughed at that, chuckled at her enough to glance away for a moment, her bony shoulders shaking.

“Oh Catra. You could kill me just as easily as swatting a fly. But it wouldn’t change anything. It won’t fill that void inside you that you so desperately want to fill. It won’t validate your pathetic existence. It couldn’t possibly tell you  _ why _ .”

“Why?”

“That’s why you came here, isn’t it? To ask me why... Why I treated you the way I did... Why it was never enough. Why you grew up in the horde instead of with the magicats.”

Now, Catra did grab for the knife. But it was slow, calculated. She couldn’t appear to be irrational right now. She held it tightly, but didn’t point it at the witch’s throat like she should have. 

“You can talk all you want. It won’t change anything. I’m still going to kill you. The only difference is what you decide to waste your last breaths on.”

“Catra, my dear.” Shadow Weaver reached forward to touch the feline’s face, but Catra sat an exactly calculated distance away, and she fell short. “I know I was hard on you, I won’t deny it. But I also can’t apologize for it. Are you really going to blame me for turning you into the success that you are today? Or are you still trying to blame anyone but yourself for your own shortcomings?”

Catra remembered what Glimmer had said to her after they tried to talk on the roof. It was warm in the light with a cool breeze as the moon set. 

_ “That’s what makes you so strong, Catra. You survived years of war, and decades of that darkness in your past, and you survived. And despite everything, you keep going. You rise up and try to make things better, in any way. Even when you had nothing and no one, you survived and you came back stronger.” _

_ “What, so all this terrible shit that happened is supposed to make me a better person?” Catra said with more distaste. She didn’t like the notion that all her pain was worth it somehow when she would have done fine without any of it. Glimmer’s mind pinwheeled for a moment, trying to backtrack. _

_ “What matters most is that even after all that you went through, you still have an optimistic outlook.” _

“Let’s not pretend that any of that shit made me a better person.” Catra spat, standing up and turning her back partially to the witch.

“But it still made you  _ who. you. are. _ ” 

  
  


***

  
  


Kids of all ages, many who were older, and a scant few older officers were still coming in. But Scorpia didn’t seem to care about it, she just kept doing her job. Abner was impressed, she clearly knew her way around a crisis. 

Perhaps it was the ghastly huge claws and exoskeleton, but at first she didn’t trust her. But if anything Scorpia had the exact opposite of what her prickly appearance gave away. It was in her nature to not trust easily, for sure, but she might put this Captain on the fast track. 

Scorpia crouched down to a young boy and offered him a smile. 

“That’s a lovely little friend you have there,” She said, meaning the stuffed animal he carried in his arms. “What’s his name?”

“....Steven.” He said very shyly. 

“Steven?” Scorpia asked. She helped him up onto a skiff. “That’s a great name. You should hold on to Steven nice and tight so he doesn’t get lost, okay?” She held his hand in her claw delicately, gently. “We don’t want to leave anyone behind.” 

The boy smiled and held onto Steven with all his might so his stuffed animal wouldn’t fly away as he sailed to his new home.

Damn okay, Scorpia was good at her job. Now she had to take back everything she said to Catra about who they could trust in the horde. 

  
  


***

  
  


Netossa fumbled a bit--though not frantically, which she would later point out--with the control panel in front of her. All the controls were worn down such that the labels on the buttons were illegible, so any button was a total gamble. It took a few embarrassing tries before she found the radio, and began dialing it to different frequencies to find something familiar. As she did so, Spinnerella blew in the door behind her. 

“That’s the last of them!” She declared. 

The tower they were in was in the center of all the action, with access to multiple security systems with the intention of keeping a watch on all the activity in the Fright Zone. The windows provided a total 360 degree view around them. As Netossa continued to fidget with the knob, a screen popped up with a new message. Spinnerella opened it. 

_ Channel 9 frequency set to high. -E _

“Oh, try channel nine.” Spinnerella suggested. Netossa tried it and was able to pick up the stable chatter of her comrades. In her lab, Entrapta rolled her eyes at the amateurs. 

“Frosta, Glimmer, this is the B team. We’ve secured the central watchtower.” She reported. “We are reporting high visibility with minimal resistance on the way in, no injuries. We have a clear line of sight to the escape route, we can see a few lines heading out.”

“Excellent!” Glimmer chimed in. “Keep an eye out for anyone coming after those skiffs and radio it in immediately.” 

Netossa leaned back in the chair and folded her hands behind her head while her wife leaned against the control panel. 

“Does this seem too easy to you? I feel like it's too easy.” Netossa said. Behind them, a blue laser exploded in a dome of light and destruction. Neither of them so much as flinched at the destruction that She-Ra was bringing down.

“It does feel a little suspicious.” Spinerella agreed. 

“Like, should we go round up some more troops to fight or something?”

“Oh come on, I’m not complaining.”

A tank was thrown in the air, then came crashing back down so hard the ground shook. Neither of them looked up. 

“I mean neither am I, but still.”

“Yeah it’s just a little unsettling.”

  
  
  


***

  
  


“I’m not what you think I am.” Catra retorted. She gripped the knife tight and watched the shadows for movement. 

“Oh?” Shadow Weaver teased again, feigning offense. “You aren’t the driven, ambitious leader that I spent my best years sculpting? You were supposed to go further than I did. It truly was a thankless task, given what you’ve come here to do to repay me.” Catra clenched her jaw so tightly that she was sure she would push her teeth back into her gums. 

“I want nothing more. Than for you to fail.” She spat. 

“Then you’ve doomed yourself, child.” Shadow Weaver retorted effortlessly. 

“So that’s how this is going to end? When I win you win, and when I fail, you still win?”

“There you go again, you see? You are pushing the blame away from yourself like you always have.”

Catra growled, actually growled like an animal, for the first time in her life. As soon as she realized it, she shook her head to erase the noise and paced away from the witch. But it was too late, it was already heard. And if there was one thing that Shadow Weaver always droned into the young girl’s mind, it was that her animal instincts were filthy and shameful. She couldn’t show this weakness to her now. 

“If you aren’t who I think you are, then tell me. Who are you? After all if I’m to die, I want to at least know the fate of the girl I thought I raised. Tell me. Who is it you think you are?” She struggled behind Catra to stand up, she could tell. She wouldn’t give the satisfaction of facing her when she wanted so desperately to use her again. Not now, in the final moments they would have together. 

“Tell me, who would ever possibly accept an animal like you? Surely not the rebels. For all their failings they would never be so stupid to trust the failed leader of heir sworn enemy. You’ve burned every possible bridge you had to succeed here in the Fright Zone. Even if you could somehow magically turn it all around for yourself, Hordak will never let you back to the horde. Did you think that you could possibly go anywhere that would accept you? Did you ever think you could turn your back so easily on your home? Did you ever think you would be loved? Even if you couldn’t get it from me, there’s no way you’ll ever find a way to fill that void within our heart, Catra. That’s why you couldn’t possibly complete your task today. Because when everyone else turns their backs on you, you’ll turn to me. The only person left who could possibly validate you, or love you. I raised you! And sooner or later you will realize that even I cannot fill that emptiness within you.”

  
  


***

  
  
  


_ No matter what she says. No matter what happens. That you can deserve love. _

Scorpia loved her. Madame Razz cared for her at her lowest. Queen Angella took her in even after everything she had done. The rebellion trusted and supported her enough to pull off this whole plan. And then Adora and Glimmer... They loved her.

“You’re wrong, Shadow Weaver.” Catra said, stalking towards Shadow Weaver.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


***

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Once the defection was over, the rebellion’s forces began their retreat back to the campground in Bright Moon which would now house all those who abandoned the horde. 

Everyone returned safely within the manner of the afternoon hours. The defectors numbers were found to be higher than their estimate, at just under half of the entire horde army. That, and most of the prisoners who escaped also made their way here. Many of them were rebellion scouts and spies. A rare few were horde soldiers who had turned rebellion and were in an elite spy network before they were discovered. It seemed that all of them had a problem with the way the horde actually worked.

Abner reconnected with her spies and welcomed them back to regular duty while taking any reports they had to offer. Adora and Angella studiously interviewed as many of the defectors as they could and tried to make detailed files on each individual. Some of them Adora knew, while almost all of them were new. Over half of them were teenagers, just around her age when she first defected. Scorpia was constantly busying herself with work to help everyone settle in, making sure they were healthy and had supplies, showing people around. 

Glimmer herself was worrying. All the other princesses returned with all their forces. Everyone had reported in by now except for one essential operative. 

Catra. 

She had yet to bring it to the attention of anyone else. She suspected that they only hadn’t noticed yet because everyone was so busy setting up the new campground the size of a large town. They were too busy to even celebrate the success of the massive blow they had dealt to the horde army today. 

Something must have gone wrong. She was terrified that this might happen. Perhaps Catra was right, they shouldn’t have underestimated Shadow Weaver’s powers. But that would risk underestimating Catra, a mistake that nobody ever made twice. Perhaps it wasn’t even any of her powers, and maybe something worse, she was talking to her. If Shadow Weaver detected the slightest chance of using Catra to her advantage, she would take it. And after she had spent so long making so much progress... it could destroy her. 

Glimmer went out onto the front porch of the official building in the camp where files were starting. From here she could see the main square, buzzing with life and activity around the various buildings. It seemed that all those who knew life in the horde knew everything about how to work efficiently as a team. By now the day moon was setting, and she knew that if it got dark out she would need to declare Catra MIA. She looked one more time down the entrance of the camp where everyone came from. The gate was only simple wood, very non-threatening. Beyond that was a lightly forested pasture in the fields that Angella had donated to their cause. 

She kept checking that gate every two minutes for an hour. Soon a purple dusk settled into the valley. 

“Glimmer.” The princess started slightly and dropped her papers. She turned around all flushed pink as a rose to meet Adora. 

“Adora! You scared me,” She laughed nervously. Adora helped her pick up the papers until they were able to stack them and put them aside. 

“Didn’t mean to startle you.” Adora apologized. “We’re finishing up our first round of interviews with all the new recruits. Did you get the head count?”

“For the defectors, yes... for the soldiers, well, there’s a problem.”

“What is it? We didn’t have any reports of any killed or missing, did we?”

“Forty one injured, all minor. No kills. One missing.” Angella spoke up. She stepped out from inside the records building onto the porch with a clipboard. She flipped through pages and pages of data. She hesitated as her heart jumped in her chest. She looked up to Glimmer with worry written clearly on her face when she read and realized who it was. “Where is Catra.”

“It’s Catra? She hasn’t reported back yet?” Adora panicked. “When was she last seen?”

“She hasn’t broken her radio silence since the initiation.” Glimmer said. “She insisted on private operative engagement: no rescue, no backup, no communications. In case she got compromised. Something must have gone wrong.” She checked the gate again.

“She should have reported in ages ago,” Angella fretted, putting the clipboard aside. “We need to find her as soon as possible.” Adora nodded resolutely. 

“She kept telling us not to underestimate Shadow Weaver. If something went south, she’s in serious trouble.” She added. 

Glimmer checked the gate again, but did a double take when she saw a dark shape sauntering towards the camp. 

“Wait, is that..?”

It was her.

She had a definite swagger about her walk, something that portrayed pride in her mission, but showed clear exhaustion, both physical and mental. Glimmer and Adora ran out to meet her at the entrance to the camp, but Catra showed no sign that she noticed or cared about their appearance. She only walked up and stopped right in front of them. She pulled back her hood to show her face, with a sincere and downbeat expression. Her eyebrows were knitted together in concern and stress. She simply took a deep breath. 

“Catra!” Adora gasped with relief to see that she was okay. Glimmer reached out for Adora’s arm to support herself and hold back from overwhelming Catra. She forced the words out.

“Did you... finish it?”

Catra wordlessly reached behind her back and ruffled around the folds of her trusty poncho. 

When her hands came back, it was to reveal a cracked, broken, purple mask. The mask had blood on it, the same blood that appeared in random spots across her clothes. 

Adora gasped and a hand went to cover her mouth. Glimmer reached out to take the mask. Catra steadied herself with a sigh while she tried to collect her words. 

“It’s done. For good.”

“That’s ... wow.” Glimmer said softly. “Wait, but why were you gone for so long?”

Catra relaxed somewhat and her expression softened only so softly that only those who really knew her well could detect it. 

“I was trying to convince Entrapta to come.”

“Wait, Entrapta?” Scorpia called out across the dirt road. She was there in an instant. “Where is she, did something happen?”

“Why wouldn’t she come with the defectors?” Adora asked. Catra shrugged. 

“She decided that there was still more work for her to do in the horde. She couldn’t leave yet.” She reached up to put a hand on Scorpia’s shoulder. “We gotta have faith in our girl. She convinced me.” Then, to Glimmer. “And trust me, it’ll still be plenty helpful to us. We can still do a lot more with her on the inside.”

But Glimmer wasn’t as concerned with the news as she was with the development that was in her hands. She reached out and put a hand on Catra’s arm.

“But are you... alright?”

Catra looked at her for a moment with her eyebrows raised, a rare moment of genuine honesty between them, the first of many more to come. She looked away for a moment, at nothing in particular while she searched her own mind for the answers.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction.” She finally admitted. Then she chuckled once just out of surprise at something as she stepped forward to embrace Adora by the shoulders.

“It’s done, we’re free.” She told her as she pulled the warrior in for a hug. It was rare that Catra would openly initiate mutual affection. But as soon as Adora realized what was happening--which was slightly delayed, given her shock of the whole situation-- Catra released her again and held her at arm's length. “Wait, your memories! Did they come back?”

“Oh!” Adora suddenly remembered. Which was misleading, since she remembered that this was a thing that they were hoping for since she forgot, but she did not recall any of the events that Catra had described to her that she had missed. She raked her mind for answers, missing images and memories, but came up with the conclusion that nothing had changed. Nothing had come to her, no flashing images or recalled sensations. “I… I don’t…” 

Catra’s face fell in disappointment. But before Adora could catch it, she tried to pick herself up and put on a brave face. 

“Hey, it doesn’t really matter.” She tried to reassure. “She’ll never hurt either of us ever again.” She pulled her in for another hug. “We did it.” Adora returned the hug.

  
  


***

  
  


There was no time to rest or celebrate. By the time they had some basic files on every person present and everyone was settled in enough, there was a meeting held for all the princesses to compile their data. At this point, it was the middle of the night, but they all worked tirelessly on the project. These people they had saved today had waited long enough, now getting them happy and healthy was their top priority. 

“Here’s what we’re looking at.” Scorpia said, standing at the meeting table, which was covered in papers from one end to another. “We had a total of exactly twenty one thousand one hundred fifty four refugees rehomed to this camp. This is higher than our original high-ball estimates, even though we left some room for unexpected growth.” She explained. “Of these people, eighty eight percent are teenage cadets from basic training who have never seen active duty. Nine percent are ranking officers who were willing to turn coat. All the remaining ones are under the age of ten years.” She leaned on the table and looked over the notes in front of her. It was troubling. All these people needed someone to take care of them. 

“Adora, Force Captain Scorpia and myself have done some very quick, basic interviews with all the adult soldiers and cadets.” Renee said. “We needed to make sure that none of them are double agents who caught onto the plan and are here to sabotage the rebellion. We need to retain a bit of reasonable suspicion. They could make a move soon, or it could be years. We can’t let our guard down.”

“Have we had doctors check them over?” Perfuma asked. “I’m worried about their nutrition.”

“We have some farms set up with some staple crops, thanks to the help of the Plumerians. In terms of more immediate care, they're being checked over by Bright Moon and Plumerian doctors right now, they should be done soon.” Catra informed. “Tomorrow we’re going to start orientation. It will include an option for those over eighteen to enlist in the rebel alliance army, but we won’t force them. Some may choose to leave the battlefield behind, and I wouldn’t blame them. If not, then we’ll show them how to farm, how to craft things, basically a job fair for a flash course in how to start a whole dang community.”

“I have concerns about the younger ones,” Angella said. She herself was taking on every personal file that she could find on the young ones. She never realized how young they were recruiting. 

It was true, the horde was in the business of creating orphans. Any under the age of three were recruited and told propaganda and brainwashed. If there were any problems, Shadow Weaver would come in with her memory erasing magic... Then there were the children that resulted from fraternizing. They were extremely rare, but they were never told where they came from. Everyone got the same story. Nevertheless, apparently making sure that there was enough fresh blood in the nursery was always on the mind of the horde. 

Everyone looked down in revered silence. It was something that all those familiar with the horde knew about, but never talked about. Adora, Scorpia, and Catra felt the heat of guilt rise in their chests, feeling somehow responsible, even though they themselves were all products of that same raising. But in reality, nobody really knew what to do. 

“Scorpia, be honest with me.” Angella said. “What do you think are the odds of finding the parents that these children belong to?”

Scorpia hesitated, and nobody made eye contact. She pulled out her chair and sat down, with her claws on the table. 

“Ma’am, I would say that... it’s slim to none. It would depend on their case. It’s likely they know nothing about where they came from. The next people who would know would be the parents... who are most likely dead.” Scorpia paused and took a deep breath. “But we can’t publish the information on the children to everyone who’s lost someone... I’m worried it would make them a target.”

“Mom... I know that you have a soft spot for them.” Glimmer spoke up. She stood behind her mother, and put a hand on her shoulder. “You basically took in Adora when she got here, not to mention how Bow pretty much lives with us half the time. Then Catra came along. But we can’t take in all these kids. We’re talking about over six hundred kids.” Angella put her head in her hands and pulled back her hair from her face in stress. She shook her head. 

“There has to be something. Some sort of... social network for their own security.” Abner said. By now, she had taken off her armor for her official uniform. At some point when nobody was looking, she had taken her family photo out of her wallet. She looked at the faces of the children she and her wife, Ingrid, had taken in as orphaned refugees. These kids in the camp today, they were the same. They were both hurt by the horde. 

“I’m going to hold meetings in Bright Moon, to see if we can balance our books enough to set aside some resources.” Angella said. “Renee, I should like it if you might accompany us at those times. Catra, Scorpia, you too. You might be able to tell us more about how the horde integrated them. Perhaps we can set up some sort of office for this, as you said, social security.”

Catra ran a hand through her hair and sighed. There was so much to do. Her work on this plan would never be done. But there was something else on her mind now, looking across the table at the pink haired princess that had offered her affection. And then there next to her, was that golden warrior that she had first fallen in love with. Now that she wasn’t on a mission, her mind was able to return to the non-mission essential material, which meant confusion. Fluttering butterflies in her stomach. Hot cheeks and avoiding eye contact. High hopes and cynicism waiting around the corner with a bat. She couldn’t go on much longer like this, not with so much on the line. 

“Catra?”

“Huh?”

“Where are you, wildcat? I just asked you twice if you could help us out.” Scorpia said. She leaned over and observed Catra more scrutinously. Normally Catra wouldn’t care, but Scorpia had gotten closer to her than most anyone, she knew her tells. With one practised look, she shot Scorpia a glare that said  _ Don’t push me on it right now _ with just a hint of  _ or else _ . Scorpia was never great on picking up on social signals, especially when they were subtle, but all her time with Catra in the horde had taught her a few things, especially when it came to  _ or else _ . 

“I’m just exhausted, sorry.” Catra said a little stiffly, with her old attitude. “Could you just run that by me again?”

“We were saying that we should address the defectors.” Abner repeated. “Let them know about the orientation tomorrow, about what’s going to happen, what their options are... It should be you, Catra. You orchestrated all of this, they’ll flock to you as their natural leader.” 

“I can’t.” Catra said extremely hastily. She realized it as soon as she said it. Unfortunately, so did everyone else. “Uh...” She backpedaled instantly. The last thing she should be doing is backing out on the plan that she put so much work into, especially now that the real hard work was starting. “What I mean is. It should be... Scorpia.” There was a pause where nobody seemed to object, which told Catra that they were waiting for her to say more. “She’s a princess without her kingdom. The horde took it from her. She was more a part of this than I was when it came to actually dealing with everyone out there. They recognize and trust her already.” It was fortunate that Catra had already wanted to appoint Scorpia as the leader of the camp anyway. She hadn’t talked to a lot of people about it yet. But it was the clear strategy. 

“That’s a great point.” Adora said. “I mean, Scorpia, are you prepared for that?”

“I, really? Me?” Scorpia was just caught off guard twice in a row now, and was reeling. 

“Captain Scorpia clearly cares deeply about the rebellion effort, given all of her hard work with the entire event.” Angella said. 

“But I’m not a captain anymore!” Scorpia claimed, standing up. “I defected from that army, which voids my title and rank!” 

“Oh I understand.” Angella said calmly. The faintest hint of a smile was on her lips for the first time all day. “I am offering you a position in the Bright Moon Rebel Alliance Army, General Scorpia.”

“We might not be able to get you your kingdom back.” Glimmer said sternly. “But we all know that you’ve been helping us for a long time now, even if you didn’t have a seat at the table. Us princesses need to stick together. And the horde has hurt you and your family too. We can make amends.”

“Wait, Scorpia is a princess?” Adora asked, pouring some coffee. It was late in the night. 

“Uh yeah Adora, she was at princess prom?” Bow said. 

“Adora you were there. We talked. We met?” Scorpia reminded her. Adora just shrugged, and sipped her coffee. 

“I blame the brain damage.” She mumbled. Ever since she had a year or two to wrap her head around the ordeal of her missing memories and whatever else Shadow Weaver had done to her that she didn’t know about, she had become a bit more used to the idea. It was a good cop-out when she needed one for forgetting things. Sometimes Glimmer wondered if Adora suffered any permanent damage from the spells, something that would cause her to have poor memory. But Adora always managed to get by just fine, as a forgetful person with a heart of gold and muscle for days.

“The point is, the Princess alliance will gladly accept your allegiance, Scorpia.” Angella said, getting them back on track. “As such you will have the support of the rebellion and you will be rewarded with the rank of a General.”

“Hah! That’s more than they offered me,” Catra laughed. 

“Yeah well you have a much less charming personality.” Abner grumbled through grit teeth. 

“But wild cat, are you sure? I mean you poured your heart and soul into this operation.” Scorpia asked. “You deserve to take a front seat for this.”

“Trust me, I’m not just going to walk away from this. There is clearly still lots of work to do.” She gestured to the table piled high with files and reports. “But if anyone can lead these kids, it’s you. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with it.”

“I mean this is so sudden, I’m not sure I’m really ready,” Scorpia rubbed the back of her neck nervously. Catra sifted through her pile of files until she produced something to hand to Scorpia. 

“I already prepared your talking points.” She said casually. Scorpia’s eyes lit up. 

“Um, Cat, I think maybe what she meant--” Glimmer started.

“No, I definitely meant this!” Scorpia said with glee, as she flipped through the notes. 

“Oh. Uh, okay then.” Glimmer said. Then, seeming to remember something, perhaps the conversation they were having, Scorpia stood up resolutely and saluted.

“I accept your offer, your Majesty. I understand it may be hard to trust an ex horde officer, but I won’t let you down!”

“General Scopria, welcome to the rebellion.” Angella stood up and smiled.

  
  
  


***

  
  


The whole princess alliance stayed awake to make sure to witness Scorpia’s speech to the recruits. It was important to them that they show they could be trusted, a feeling they weren’t entirely used to. Commoners everywhere treated them like royalty, and for some of them, the only civilians they ever encountered were under their employment. Other than that, their only other social engagements were in battle with the horde. But now, for the first time, they had thousands of people who feared them for their terrible destructive power, and they needed to gain the trust and respect of these people. 

And Scorpia’s speech was inspiring. It started at around midnight, and held every soldier enraptured from beginning to end. Her natural charisma and charm combined with her reputation for helping all of them get here made her the obvious leader. They listened to her above anyone else, even the Queen of Bright Moon. They were all exhausted, but they cheered raucously at the end. 

Nobody needed to say that they should all return to Bright Moon for rest. They would resume their work in the morning. Everyone parted for their guest rooms, weary and planning on sleeping in and letting the morning crew handle the orientation before the higher ranks needed to jump in. 

But before three certain heroes were able to sleep, Catra pulled the other two members of her own conference away to the side. She stood leaning on the back of a dining chair, facing Glimer who was nervously leaning against the wall, hoping to talk less and just get to bed already. Adora sat at the table, so exhausted, she was hardly awake. But she toughed it out, as usual for Adora. 

“What, did you think I  _ wouldn’t _ follow up on that surprise before the battle?” Catra challenged with a raised eyebrow. 

“I mean, was I hoping that so much would happen that you would forget? Yes.” Glimmer said sarcastically. Her tiredness only made her more temperamental.

“What are we talking about?” Adora mumbled. Her head was in her hand, and she was leaning heavily on the table. 

“Oh, your girlfriend didn’t tell you that she was just going to kiss me and ditch?” Catra informed her. Some light of recognition came to Adora’s eyes. 

“Oh well, yeah, we talked about that a bit.” Adora said, sitting up a bit.

“Yeah!” Glimmer said defensively, happy that Adora could back her up when Catra accused her of doing things without a plan. 

“Well damn, I sure would like to have been a part of that conversation!” Catra claimed, spreading her arms wide. “I mean, what’s going on here? Have you lost your mind? You can’t just kiss people that aren’t your girlfriend!”

“Okay fine, then be my girlfriend!” Glimmer raised her voice in tandem with Catra’s rising voice level as their fight took a strange turn. 

“What?” Catra stood up straight in surprise. Then, after a moment of thought, continuing, “No way, I’m not getting between you two when you’ve got everything going for you! I can’t mess that up,”

“You aren’t.” Adora said calmly before either of the other women could say something heated. “You aren’t, Catra.” Seeing this, the other two calmed down some. 

“I am starting to understand why Adora really loves you, Cat...” Glimmer said. Catra felt her heart stop for a second, and her eyes widened. She looked at Adora, and the tired golden warrior confirmed it. 

"Wait you..." She hadn't hoped. Hadn't dared to let herself think that it could be true. This changed everything. What was going on?

“I never stopped loving you, Catra. Just like I said in the jungle. I can’t.” And despite her exhaustion, there was a fond warmth in her eyes. A longing to reconnect in a more meaningful way. A desire for more. 

“What the fuck.” She whispered. For all her wit, she genuinely did not expect that. 

“You can love more than one person. It doesn’t have to change how you feel about others.” Glimmer said. “It’s something Adora told me a long time ago, when you first got here.”

Catra was, for a very rare time in her life, in stunned silence. She didn’t know what to think or say, or how to feel. Adora chuckled. 

“Apparently while I was away, Glimmer realized she had a crush on you.” She said, relaxing back into her chair with her hands behind her head. What a jock. “So yeah, we talked about it.”

“Catra, just let people love you.” Glimmer said. Her gaze was fixed on the floor, and her arms were crossed. Her face was flushed red. “You can be so stubborn. And a pain in the butt. But dammit, you’re also incredibly smart and caring and thoughtful and... We all love each other anyway. Just date the two of us.”

“What she said.” Adora said with a yawn.

“What does that even mean?” Catra said. “Yeah okay, you got me. Maybe me and Glim have been getting closer and she makes me feel a certain way... And Adora, well....” Catra got trailed off, now also looking away, and rubbing the back of her neck as she rambled on. At this point, she was just thinking out loud rather than speaking to them. Fortunately the two people that loved her were there. 

“We know, Catra.” Adora said. She stood up and walked around the table to the feline and reached out to her face. They bumped foreheads together, an intimate little ritual of their friendship dating back to their years in the Fright Zone. She doesn’t do it with anyone else but Adora. One day, someone will realize and point out that it’s a cat head bump, but not today. “It’s okay. We both love you.”

“That can’t be right...” Catra whispered to herself, a slight tease at her humor. Glimmer laughed. 

“Well, deal with it.” Glimmer chuckled. “I think we can pull this off. It might take a little while to get used to. But come on, let’s try this.”

“Try what exactly?” Catra said, pulling away. 

“All three of us.” Adora explained. “Dating, working, being happy, loving each other.”

“You don’t have to worry about messing things up. Or changing the way things work. Or being left behind, or anything. You don’t have to worry because you will have two people that just adore you right by your side no matter what. I want to get to know you better, Catra. As more than just friends. I think you’re amazing and incredible and worthy of so much love. You may not think that you deserve it, but you do. And it can be a good thing, to be loved. So... let us love you?”

“Yeah but like, after a nap.” Adora said sleepily. 

“Wha-- a nap? Why not just sleep for the night?” Catra asked as the woman became more limp in her arms. 

“Cause I’m getting up early to exercise? At this point it’s less than five hours, and that’s a nap.” Adora clarified like it was common sense. 

“Wait, you are  _ not _ getting up before morning moonrise to exercise tomorrow!” Glimmer protested. “It’s past midnight, we got up early to march to the Fright Zone, you are sleeping more than eight hours.” She commanded. At this point, Adora was falling asleep standing up, leaning slightly against Catra. She mumbled something in her defense, but it was impossible to translate. Catra rolled her eyes and bent down to grab Adora’s knees and heave her up, carrying her over her own shoulders fireman style. 

“Okay, whatever.” Catra agreed. Nobody could be sure if she was agreeing to their proposal or to Adora’s lost sentiment. They walked out of the dining room and to Glimmer’s bedroom, where they would all sleep together in a cuddle pile that Catra would eventually complain was too hot (fur made her dislike covers, and two people next to her was like sitting in a sauna) and rest at the foot of the bed. “I guess I already learned the consequences of saying no to you, so.” She pointed out on their way through the halls to Glimmer. Glimmer blushed and smiled. It was as sentimental and honest as Catra got, even through all her emotional improvements over the years and changing as a person. She was still going to learn how to be a goofball and a sarcastic pain in the ass, to the bitter end. But it was sincere, she could tell. 

  
  
  
  


THE NEXT DAY

  
  
  


The next day, Adora diligently rose early. For her five K run and workout with the guards. Glimmer insisted that she rest longer and forgo the routine for one day off. 

“Can’t slack off,” Adora insisted as she dressed below the lofted bed. “Gotta stay sharp. You never know!”

“I _do_ know.” Glimmer said. “Trust me, Abner will totally cut you some slack if you skip for  _ one day _ .”

Adora shook her head doubtfully as she pulled on her boots and then headed for the door. 

“Abner always gets on my case if I skip and go soft. I’ll see you two  _ bright and early _ for breakfast after?” Her hand rested on the door handle, and Glimmer yawned in response. Catra had given up, knowing how thick skulled Adora could be, and was asleep again. Adora pulled open the door, then jumped with a start when Abner was on the other side of the door, in her civilian clothes.

“General!” She saluted. Then, immediately turned around to her girlfriend’s bed as she pointed at the General. “See? I told you!” She argued. 

“Adora.” Renee droned, reminding her that she was still there. “You are getting up for the exercise regimen.” 

“Is that an order?”

“It was a question. Sorry, I speak very authoritatively. Let me try that again. You’re getting up for your exercise regimen?”

“Uh. Yes?”

“I was afraid of that.” Renee said sleepily. “I knew you would, so I got up early just to come tell you to not. Sleep in.”

“Ha!” Glimmer said. “See, I told you!” She echoed her girlfriend’s words back to her as Adora deflated. 

“Sorry, did you say... ‘to not sleep in?' Like I shouldn’t be sleeping?” Adora asked nervously, clinging to the idea that she might still have an out.

“Adora. Look at me.” Renee pointed two fingers at her own eyes as she leaned in to Adora. “Do not do this. You do not need to exercise, you need to sleep.”

“But... But I...” 

“Nope. No.” Renee smiled and shook her head as she continued to burst Adora’s bubble. “Go back to bed, soldier.” 

Adora’s shoulders fell as she realized there was no point arguing, especially with her fellow officer. So she kicked off her boots and went back to bed, pouting the whole way. Abner was at the point where she wished more of her regiment of soldiers and guards were more like Adora. She was a good kid. Watching her grow these past few years had let her drop some barriers around the ex-horde soldier, and she might have been the only one who didn’t change her mind solely based on the fact that she was She-Ra. Quite the opposite in fact, she refused to treat her differently due to that, and because of that, Adora cherished their relationship, soldier to soldier. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The next morning, roughly a third of the new recruits were willing to enlist in the rebellion army. It was a much bigger turnout than anyone was expecting, and would certainly help turn the tides of the war. Not only that, but everyone offered up whatever intel they could on their former home, and the rebellion learned much about the operations of the horde. It seemed like with the turning of the tides from this event, the war could be won within a few years or even less, just a few months. 

People started to refer to the event as The Immigration. Prisoners, cadets, and soldiers alike made their homes in the town in the valley, which was referred to simply as Safety. It suited the simplicity that ex-horde types seemed more comfortable with. After all, they left their home to go somewhere safe, and this was that safer place. “Get to Safety,” as the term started, when they were still fleeing the Fright Zone. As such, some of the cadets took it to be the name of this new place, and it stuck faster than “Bowseph.”

They set up homes with their friends, took in the younger ones under their wings, learned how to sustain a career in farming and crafting. Those in the army still lived there with those they felt familiar and comfortable with, and were paid fairly by Bright Moon. No attacks or threats from the horde ever came towards Safety, it was a lost cause if they ever attempted to reclaim their people. Even if there were any threats, Bright Moon and Plumeria, the two closest kingdoms, were on standby at their defense. 

Catra and Adora were able to catch up with old friends and acquaintances they thought they would never see again. It was relieving, especially for Adora who left so long ago and so suddenly, to find her old military like-minded peers and not only confirm that they were okay, but to fit into old habits again. 

The most memorable was their original old Squad, Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle. It was a bit of a surprise to Catra to see them follow through with the Immigration, given how poorly she had treated them in the past during her rise to power. 

Kyle was on board with leaving from the get-go, having had enough of how he and his friends were treated. He was having thoughts about defecting ever since Adora had left. Then Rogelio decided to accompany him; he claimed that Kyle would die within a week on his own, but everyone knew that it was because Rogelio was always shy and leaned heavily on Kyle for support. Then Lonnie realized that she would be left all on her own with none of her old squad around anymore, and realized she would rather defect than deal with the burden of carrying the weight for all of them on her own. But truthfully, she needed the familiarity of friends during the last few years of the war, unsure what to do with herself all alone. It would take them some time to forgive Catra and Adora for leaving, but they would eventually reconcile. 

Although the ex-horde defectors and everyone at Safety took excellent care of each other, Queen Angella set up an Office of Social Security; of which its primary goal was to find the original families that the children may have been stolen from, and to find families who would open their arms to a child in need, either to foster and show them support while they learned about life outside the horde or to adopt them if all parties were in agreement. She appointed herself the minister of this new office, and tried to find safe, loving homes for anyone who needed it. She gained most of her support, emotionally, advisory, and with paperwork, from General Abner and her wife, Ingrid. 

As for the three young lovers, they were happy to be in each other’s company, when they could have it. Most of them, especially Catra, spent most of her days down at Safety. Glimmer was especially eager to make their new situation work, and tried hard to include the three of them in simple things like sleeping together in her bed. Catra had to admit, it did appeal to her interest in climbing high up. Adora was more worried that with three of them, it would weigh down heavily and fall at any moment. Glimmer assured her that she would teleport them to safety. 

In a lot of ways, it was easier for Catra to start dating Glimmer, since they had both been crushing on the other. She wasn’t yet prepared to unpack all the baggage that came with admitting how she felt about Adora quite yet. Although, it was nice to sleep by her feet again. In reality little changed for this new life, it was still just like being three best friends. Only now, Glimmer would surprise her with kisses that turned her face pink, and she would snuggle up to the princess to return the favor, wrapping her tail around the shorter woman affectionately-- but only when she was sure nobody was looking. She was still tough as nails on the outside, but in private, let Glimmer see that other side of her that was deeply caring and touch starved. 

It really seemed as though Glimmer was the only one who had two girlfriends, and she was desperate to get the other two, who so clearly had serious long-standing feelings for the other, to reconcile. Catra had forgiven Adora for leaving, even if it hurt her, because she couldn’t blame Adora for doing the right thing, because she knew that Adora would always follow her heart. Likewise, Adora realized, especially within her the context of her missing memories, that Catra had little choice in things back when Adora had left the horde, and the only reason she couldn’t do more was because she was afraid for her own welfare. 

True, it still left a lot of hurt feelings, but now they could work through it together rather than alone, and that led them through strides. It happened slowly, with Catra cuddling more affectionately on Adora’s lap as she was reading, and with Adora sneaking a peck on the cheek to Catra when nobody was looking. 

They talked a lot. About the past mainly. They settled old questions and raised new ones about the strange changing dynamic that made them nervous. It was all so new. Sometimes they would talk about the future. And little by little, it began to become more and more clear how much the three all cared for and loved each other. The three were dating, and met no confusion or disputes from any friends or family. In fact, Glimmer suspected that Bow was already planning their triple wedding. 

All that there was left to do was win the war. 

And also maybe find a bed that could sustain three adults without crashing down a twenty foot drop. They learned that the hard way. 

Rest assured, Glimmer teleported them to safety before they plummeted down, but it was harder to calm their racing hearts. And while Adora preferred a hard cot, Catra ended up betraying her horde instincts and found she also loved soft pillows. So, it was a medium-soft bed on the ground for all of them. 

Adora was the biggest spoon insisting that it was the favorable position over little spoon, then Glimmer who loved being sandwiched between her two girlfriends, then Catra who insisted that three people cuddling was too hot and took up the caboose, usually laying on top of the blankets, as the littlest spoon. But she would claw the eyes out of anyone who called her soft or a little spoon outside of those three.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to OT3 town, babey. 
> 
> Quickly getting caught up with another spot where there is a break in the writing that i still need to fill, so miiight not be strictly speaking daily updates as I work to write in those gaps. Also gonna start working on more of that vampire vs werewolf au some more. So. Sorry!


End file.
